Columnist

Author

Dr. Diana Galeeva

Dr. Diana Galeeva is an academic visitor to the Center of Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge. She is the author of two books “Qatar: The Practice of Rented Power” (Routledge, 2022) and “Russia and the GCC: The Case of Tatarstan’s Paradiplomacy” (I.B. Tauris/ Bloomsbury, 2023). She is also a co-editor of the collection “Post-Brexit Europe and UK: Policy Challenges Towards Iran and the GCC States” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2021).

Latest published

Iran war highlights importance of neutrality

The Iran war has already badly affected many sectors across the world, from international politics to a potential global economic crisis. It has also revealed some miscalculations over the Ukraine war.

March 27, 2026

The global diplomatic power of football’s famous faces

Football is a truly global game that has brought many positive political benefits to diplomatic actors, either by hosting mega-events such as the World Cup or the Asian Cup or through deals with famous clubs.

February 09, 2026

The benefits of checkbook diplomacy

Saudi Arabia and Qatar last week declared that they would settle Syria’s debt to the World Bank of $15 million. This policy can be regarded as checkbook diplomacy: but what is this and how is it relevant to international politics and Syria in particular?

May 04, 2025

A ‘Vision 2030’ for Europe’s security

Last weekend, the 61st Munich Security Conference took place in Germany. The agenda was linked to a “pivotal” moment of change, including a new US administration, a new cycle of European legislature in Brussels and the upcoming German parliamentary elections.

February 21, 2025